The Federal Government has issued a strong warning against the unauthorized disclosure of official documents, stating that such acts are punishable offenses under Nigerian law. This warning was delivered by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, during a workshop in Abuja on Tuesday.
The workshop, organized by the Bureau for Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), focused on the theme, “Renewing Hope and Strengthening National Unity through Effective Communication and the Role of the Official Secrets Act in Maintaining Confidentiality and National Security.”
During his address, delivered by Dr. Nnamdi Mbaeri, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the SGF, Akume emphasized the critical importance of maintaining confidentiality within the government. He highlighted that unauthorized leakage of sensitive official documents is considered a felony, with no defense permissible under the Constitution or the Freedom of Information Act.
Akume referenced Section 97 (2) of the Criminal Code Act of Nigeria, which stipulates a punishment of up to one-year imprisonment for any public service employee who, without proper authority, copies or discloses any document owned by their employer.
The SGF also recalled measures previously implemented to curb the leakage of sensitive information across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). He noted that the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation issued service-wide circulars in August 2021 aimed at tightening the security of official documents and ensuring compliance with established protocols. This was reinforced by another service-wide circular in February 2024 on the unauthorized circulation of official documents with information on social media.
Akume said, “This was done to re-emphasize other extant regulations prohibiting unauthorized disclosure or leakage of official documents. There is a need to regulate the activities of civil society organizations that use the Freedom of Information Act to harass, intimidate, and siphon resources from public officers through the dissemination of fake and unfounded information. This should be properly addressed by all practitioners in the communication and related industries.”
He commended the BPSR for organizing the workshop, highlighting the importance the government places on the dissemination of correct and truthful information.
The Director-General of the Bureau, Dr. Dasuki Arabi, urged participants to familiarize themselves with the Official Secrets Act and effectively communicate government policies and programs to the public. He emphasized that accurate and prompt information delivery is essential and cannot be compromised, as its impact on service delivery and governance is profound. Arabi also tasked communication managers to use traditional and social media platforms to ensure the public is well informed about government initiatives, programs, and services.
